Finally, Transnet has confirmed the successful bidder for the construction of dedicated cruise terminal infrastructure at Cape Town harbour.

The DA welcomes this project, as it will bring many opportunities in the travel and trade value chain. 

We have submitted several questions and motions in parliament pushing for this much-needed tourism infrastructure.

Our motivation is based on the following: The National Development Plan that has already earmarked tourism as the only sustainable job-creating sector in the economy and therefore any measures to increase tourism at both regional and national level must be seriously considered.

I believe that the cruise industry has the potential to provide economic benefits not only to the port city but the whole province and country. 

These economic benefits arise from five principal sources: 1) spending by cruise passengers and crew; 2) the shoreside staffing by the cruise lines for their headquarters, marketing and tour operations 3) expenditures by the cruise lines for goods and services necessary for cruise operations; 4) spending by the cruise lines for port services; and 5) expenditures by cruise lines for the maintenance.

For every 12 international tourists who visit our shores, one full-time sustainable job is created. Government needs to wake up to this fact and take advantage of it. 

The City of Cape Town is poised to become a cruise tourism hot-spot in South Africa, and the construction of dedicated cruise liner infrastructure in the city will have vast benefits for regional job creation and economic development.

According to the South African Cruise Tourism report, issued by the Department of Tourism in 2009, “cruise tourism is considered to be sustainable tourism” and “cruise tourism can be a means to enhance welfare and quality of life”. 

This project will have a beneficial impact, not only on the City of Cape Town, but the national economy, through an increase in maritime trade and cruise tourism.